Online Skills Research Articles

Note on the Professionality of Mathematics and Science Teachers in The Post-Covid-19 Pandemic

This study aims to analyze mathematics and science teachers' professional identity and competence during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study used the literature review method with data analysis using the content analysis method. This study used documentation instruments published in nationally accredited journals, indexed proceedings, Scopus-indexed international journals, and teacher's competence books. The results were some of the skills that mathematics and science teachers need this time. Several skills were the experience of implementing learning during the Covid-19 pandemic, including scientific literacy skills, classroom management skills both online and offline, including actively involving students, and communication skills, especially with parents.

Medical Students' Perceptions Towards Online Teaching During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study from Saudi Arabia.

The Covid-19 has made a huge impact on higher education. Online teaching and learning became essential to deliver educational activities in all areas including medical education. In this study, we aimed to investigate medical students' perceptions on the role of online teaching and learning in facilitating medical education. A cross-sectional study using a self-administered online questionnaire was conducted. Students eligible were medical students across all years at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Saudi Arabia. Perceptions analysis was conducted using SPSS software. A total of 563 students participated in the study (prominent category female 64%, n = 361). There was a significant increase in the number of hours devoted to online learning during the pandemic. Live lectures/tutorials platform via zoom showed the highest rate of interaction compared to pre-recorded lectures and learning materials uploaded on blackboard. 50% of the students disagreed that online teaching is as effective as face-to-face teaching. The greatest perceived enjoyable aspect included the online accessibility of materials. Whereas the most frequent perceived barrier to online learning included internet connection. 17% of students reflected a poor understanding of scientific materials through online PBL. More than 50% of students revealed that online theoretical lectures are as good as classroom or better. Whereas the majority (70%) were unable to learn clinical skills online. The results indicated high impact on students' physical activities (80%). Impacts were higher on pre-clinical students' health and social life than on clinical students. Our findings reported that during emergency situations due to the pandemic, online teaching enables the continuity of medical education and provides adequate efficiency. The use of live online platforms showed high level of interaction. However, some barriers need to be addressed especially at the clinical skills development level to maximize the benefit of online teaching and learning.

Implementation of a brief online skills group of dialectical behaviour therapy for emotional dysregulation in Latinx: a withdrawal experimental single-case design.

Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) skills groups have shown promise as an effective treatment for clients with emotional dysregulation, especially when combined with individual DBT. However, their efficacy is not well established as an online therapy, or in the Latinx population. This study aimed to explore satisfaction, retention and effects of an internet-based DBT group added to individual online sessions. An ABAB withdrawal experimental single-case design was conducted to evaluate the effect of a brief online DBT skills group on emotional dysregulation, anxiety and depression for five Latinx participants. DBT skills group (phase B) were compared with placebo group sessions (phase A) and fortnightly individual DBT sessions were offered throughout to manage risk. Visual inspection showed a decrease in level of emotional dysregulation and a large effect size according to the Nonoverlap of All Pairs when comparing group DBT and placebo phases. Although depression symptoms decreased after introducing group DBT, anxiety indicators decreased most during the second round of group placebo sessions. Whilst only a pilot, this study suggests that online group DBT in Latinx populations is feasible and effective for changing emotional regulation processes but may not effectively target anxiety. Future research might increase the number of DBT sessions in order to enhance learning opportunities and generalization. Replication with larger sample sizes and diverse modalities is needed.

Current health resources required for the management of ankylosing spondylitis in developing areas of China.

Current health resources required for the management of ankylosing spondylitis in developing areas of China.

성인계속교육학습자의 비대면 온라인 수업 사례 고찰

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze the lecture preparation, lecture characteristics, and lecture satisfaction of adult continuing education learners in childcare sites in the process of converting in person to online lectures.
 Methods To this end, this author examined the syllabus, LMS and SNS materials, PPT, and learners' self-report data. ‘The guidance of child life’ as a synchronous video conferencing lecture and ‘Advanced Child Counseling’ as a video recording lecture conducted in the second semester of 2021 with Merriam qualitative analysis. The participant was a total of 65 adult continuing education learners of the Department of Industrial Education, composed of faculty and staff of daycare centers at C University in Seoul, and conducted a satisfaction survey using questionnaires.
 Results First, video-recorded lectures take less time than face-to-face lectures, requiring instructors to mount various materials before class, while synchronous video conferencing lecture, require both instructors and adult continuing education learners to have prepared online skills before class. Second, video-recorded lectures have the advantage of being able to use time and space freely, but in order to compensate for the lack of online class time, weekday assignments are a burden for adult continuing education learners, while synchronous video conferencing lecture has the advantage of freely using space and giving social presence, but various motivational factors and technical devices that can increase immersion due to low class concentration should be supplemented. Third, in the class satisfaction survey, it was found that adult continuing education learners expressed higher satisfaction with video-recorded lectures than with synchronous video conferencing lecture.
 Conclusions Through this study, it was found that for non-face-to-face online classes of adult continuing education learners, it is necessary to build infrastructure for uploading various materials and strengthen online technology, and online teaching methods should be implemented for high-quality interaction between ‘instructor-learners’ in non-face-to-face situations. In addition, as an adult continuing education learner who works in a children's daycare center during the day, it was an effective medium to use video-recorded lecture, including various motivational elements. It is hoped that this study will contribute to the more efficient operation of non-face-to-face online lectures for adult continuing education learners at universities.

Online task segmentation by merging symbolic and data-driven skill recognition during kinesthetic teaching

Programming by Demonstration (PbD) is used to transfer a task from a human teacher to a robot, where it is of high interest to understand the underlying structure of what has been demonstrated. Such a demonstrated task can be represented as a sequence of so-called actions or skills. This work focuses on the recognition part of the task transfer. We propose a framework that recognizes skills online during a kinesthetic demonstration by means of position and force–torque (wrench) sensing. Therefore, our framework works independently of visual perception. The recognized skill sequence constitutes a task representation that lets the user intuitively understand what the robot has learned. The skill recognition algorithm combines symbolic skill segmentation, which makes use of pre- and post-conditions, and data-driven prediction, which uses support vector machines for skill classification. This combines the advantages of both techniques, which is inexpensive evaluation of symbols and usage of data-driven classification of complex observations. The framework is thus able to detect a larger variety of skills, such as manipulation and force-based skills that can be used in assembly tasks. The applicability of our framework is proven in a user study that achieves a 96% accuracy in the online skill recognition capabilities and highlights the benefits of the generated task representation in comparison to a baseline representation. The results show that the task load could be reduced, trust and explainability could be increased, and, that the users were able to debug the robot program using the generated task representation.

How to promote student teachers’ research knowledge and skills online

ABSTRACT Promoting research knowledge and skills (RKS) is an important task of teacher training programmes. One way of fostering RKS is through research-based learning (RBL). However, student teachers often struggle with the acquisition of RKS and do not benefit from RBL like students of other study programmes. This paper suggests e-learning as one part of the solution to support the design of courses that prepare students for conducting research projects. We present an interactive e-learning module designed to develop student teachers’ RKS and analyse the effectiveness of (1) the e-learning module, (2) its combination with online instruction and (3) online instruction only. Unlike previous research, we assessed the development of student teachers’ RKS (n = 402) using a standardised test. Findings revealed that both e-learning formats were effective in developing students’ RKS. Moreover, the study provided evidence of the sustainability of learning gains obtained through the e-learning module. Both e-learning formats proved superior to online instruction only, which in turn did not promote students’ RKS significantly, regardless of whether the course taught research methods explicitly or dealt with the contents of research. Thus, the development of further e-learning opportunities in the context of RBL should receive more attention in the future.

Students' preparedness and perception toward online learning in dental education - A cross-sectional study.

Amid the health risk posed by coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, all the educational institutions in India have adopted online teaching as a method of imparting education. Thus, the current study was executed to evaluate the perception and preparedness of dental students toward online learning in dental education. The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 286 dental undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students employing a pretested questionnaire. The questionnaire focused on technological access, computer and online skills, and motivational skills to use e-learning for educational purpose. The response scale for each domain was classified into low readiness level (mean value = 1-<3), acceptable/moderate readiness level (mean value = 3-<4), and high readiness level (mean value = 4-5). The results showed a high level of computer (4.02 ± 0.73) and online skills (4.05 ± 0.70) and acceptable levels of technology access (3.62 ± 0.73) and motivational level (3.61 ± 0.82). There was a significant difference in computer (P = 0.017) and online skills (P = 0.044) among UG and PG students, with PG students reporting better soft skills. Majority of the students reported participating in online workshops (68.2%) and examinations (76.6%). Around 55.2% of the students reported a positive impact and 8% reported a very positive impact of online methods on their learning. Students showed a high level of readiness toward e-learning methods along with some difficulties faced during e-learning.

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF THE USE OF ONLINE MODE TO LEARN ENGLISH ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS DURING COVID-19 PERIOD

The Covid-19 outbreak in March 2020 forced the world to immediately change how we live, including how classes are conducted. All educational institutions must close their doors to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Teachers and students are ordered to remain at home, and the normal learning environment has to shift online. Albeit the current generations of students are no strangers to the technology used in the classroom, however, to attend a class entirely conducted online is a new situation for them. Thus, this paper aims to study students’ perceptions of using online modes in the teaching and learning process of oral communication in English. Fifty-three low-proficiency students who took Oral Communication in English at Universiti Malaysia Sabah participated in the study. A mixed-method research design was applied to the study. An open-ended questionnaire was administered to the students to elicit their perceptions on the issue. The quantitative data revealed a positive impression from the participants on teaching oral communication skills online [n=46 (87%)]. The qualitative data show that (i) interactive mode, (ii) accessibility of materials, and (iii) ability to interact with the teachers and peers without feeling shy are among the reasons why online learning is favoured.

The blended learning model with online skills on the learning independence of high school students

The research aims to determine the effectiveness of blended learning management and online skills on student learning independence in the North Tapanuli region. The low learning interaction between teachers and students is caused by restrictions and forcing students to study independently. Therefore, teachers must develop competence by presenting the right model. Teachers have no other choice but to carry out good blended learning management so that learning activities continue. The method in this research is quantitative with the type of ex post facto research, namely comparative causal research. Data collection techniques by distributing instruments in the form of questionnaires to teacher respondents. The population in this study were all teachers in North Tapanuli Regency with a sample of 90 people from 4 schools that were spread out. Data analysis techniques are correlation and regression. The results of the study show that blended learning management and online skills have an impact on student learning independence. The effect of the blended learning model on students' online skills is 52.10%. Conclusion in increasing student learning independence, teachers use blended learning models to the fullest. However, this model must still be supported by the provision of online student skills.

SKILL BUILDING BLOCKS: ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE LEARNING THROUGH INTERACTIVE THEMATIC INSTRUCTION

Abstract Whether professional or as a family carer, interactions with an older adult living with or without cognitive decline should be person-centered. Learning behavioral skills requires more than watching a demonstration or cognitive learning; it requires practice, feedback and more practice. Online learning has become the best way to reach carers of older adults, partially due to the COVID pandemic and partially due to time, money and energy resources being stretched to their limits. The Validation Training Institute has developed 6 self-directed, online Skill Building Blocks that uses thematic instruction strategy, interactive exercises, and videos demonstrating why each skill is important and how to best utilize the skill in real life situations. Learners have completed pre and post-questionnaires using the Likert scale and the IMMS (Instructional Material Motivation Survey) which measures attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction. An online focus group of participants concluded the data collection process. Techniques taught through Skill Building Blocks proved to be relevant to the learners’ life experience. There was effective retention and transfer of skills, and the training proved to be motivating for continued application in the real world. Learners expressed confidence and satisfaction with the user-friendly, thematic design of each block.

Evaluation of Online and Offline Communication Skills in Higher Education

This study explores the offline and online communication skills of students in higher education. A total of 402 bachelor’s and master’s students from different study programs participated in the survey, such as education sciences, philology, communication sciences, and public relations. The evaluation was based on the scale of online and offline communication skills, which included four components: sociability, emotion decoding, self-disclosure, and assertiveness. The Mann–Whitney nonparametric statistical method was applied to examine the potential differences between the online and offline communication skills of students for the assessed variables of sociability, emotion detection, self-disclosure, and assertiveness. The statistical data analysis led to the following results: significantly higher online sociability; significantly higher online assertiveness; significantly higher offline emotion detection; significantly higher offline self-disclosure; bachelor’s students had significantly higher online skills than master’s students; and there were many differences between the various fields of specialization.

An Interview Study with English Course Teachers On Teaching Writing Skills Through Google Meets During The Covid-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, this study sought to investigate teachers' ability to integrate writing skills with online learning via Google Meetings. This was qualitative research with semi-structured interviews with a teacher at Zain Academy. Respondents were taken purposefully, namely teachers at Zain Academy who taught writing with Google Meet during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study will explicitly investigate (a) the availability of access to technology at the teacher's home and (b) the difficulties in teaching writing skills online through Google Meeting. The provisional finding of this study was that the availability of access to technology is very limited, and because of the instability of internet access, there are difficulties in maximizing online learning, especially in learning writing skills, because students are unable to open online classes due to frequent power outages or parallel WiFi interference, as well as the capacity and speed of internet access, which are not sufficient. The results of the interview informed the availability of access to technology and the difficulties in teaching writing skills online through Google Meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the results of this research, it is hoped that it will provide insight into the impact of forced changes in teaching, which can have implications for teacher competence in terms of digitization, especially in teaching writing skills, which are very important skills for those who want to master written language in English properly and correctly.

Applying Project-Based-Learning to improve English speaking skills of remote learners at tertiary education

English speaking skills are important in global communication and interaction. To speak English effectively at an acceptable level for a non-native speaker, various sub-skills are considered such as lexical resources, grammatical structures, pronunciation, rhythm, intonation, and the like. Nevertheless, a vast number of remote learners at Ho Chi Minh City Open University (HCMCOU) seemed to struggle in representing their thoughts and speaking sub-skills. Thus, this study aims to explore the challenges encountered by remote learners, the effectiveness of Project-Based Learning (PBL) applied in teaching speaking skills online, and learners’ attitudes towards the applied project. To do this, a mixed research method was employed. Twenty-two remote learners participated in responding to the survey questionnaire, and five of them were randomly selected for interview in depth. The finding shows that the most of remote learners had problems of speaking sub-skills, inadequate environments for speaking practice, communication, and interaction. Also, PBL is found as a unique method that enables learners to solve their existing problems, and improve their speaking skills, and all remote learners expressed their positive attitudes of towards PBL applied in their learning process.

POST-COVID 19 EDUCATION LANDSCAPE: A STUDY ON STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON THE IMPACT OF ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING IN ORAL COMMUNICATION COURSE

Asynchronous mode in teaching and learning for oral communication is one way practiced by language instructors and students during the pandemic Covid-19. However, administering and learning through this mode have proven to be quite a challenge considering the lack of resources and knowledge they experienced now. This is a pilot study conducted to investigate the challenges or issues students faced in learning the oral skills online during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period. This pilot study utilised a questionnaire survey method for data collection. Recruitment of research participants was performed through purposive sampling. There were 80 participants that were involved in the study who have taken the Oral Communication in English (OCE) course in a public university in Malaysia. The participants were between 21 to 24 years old, with 60 females and 20 males. The data was analysed using SPSS version 27. Generally, participants felt that learning oral communication in asynchronous mode have helped them improve their oral communication skills. It is hoped that this study’s findings will contribute to the development of an oral communication instructional framework in asynchronous mode to meet the literacy needs of students.

Evaluation of a skills-based peer-led art therapy online-group for people with emotion dysregulation

ObjectiveWe developed and piloted a novel art-based online skills program led by a peer mental health professional with lived experience of complex mental health, including Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Key challenges of living with BPD and emotion dysregulation were addressed through artmaking informed by a dialectical framework and skills, to evaluate acceptability and efficacy.MethodA structured, manualised 2-hour weekly arts-based skills program was piloted for people with BPD over 18 weeks. Evaluation included both quantitative and qualitative measures at commencement and completion.ResultsThirty-eight participants enrolled in the program (89.5% identified she/her pronouns, average age 33.6 years), and 31 completed (82% retention). Multilevel modelling analysis of the primary outcome variable Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) demonstrated a large improvement over time (effect size Cohen’s d = 1.77). Qualitative thematic analysis found participants had improved capacity to regulate emotions and tolerate distress, improved connection with others, enhanced understanding of the self, and higher hope for living well. We found that artmaking facilitated processes and helped the expression of difficult emotions, symbolise challenging relationships, and facilitate greater self-understanding. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction, and 77.4% reported that the program had increased wellbeing.ConclusionThis novel artmaking program for emotion dysregulation and BPD was acceptable and potentially effective. Peer facilitation using arts-based skills is a modality of therapy for further investigation.

Outcomes of professional training in online arts therapies in the education system

ABSTRACT Background The COVID pandemic has caused uncertainty, anxiety and instability. Within educational frameworks, many arts therapists needed to shift rapidly to working online. This abrupt transition has challenged their skills and professional confidence, and constitutes a risk factor for increased professional burnout. The Israel Ministry of Education took a series of steps, one of which was a 30-hour remote arts therapy course that was offered during one of the peak periods of the crisis. Aim The present study examined the ways in which this programme provided online skills and lessened the risk of burnout in arts therapists in the education system. Method Fifteen female arts therapists gave the research team access to the assignments they wrote at the beginning and end of the course. The data analysis was based on the principles of Consensual Qualitative Research. Results The analysis dealt with four main domains: (1) Participants’ expectations from the course. (2) Participants’ acquisitions and insights. (3) Participants’ feedback and recommendations. (4) Field applications. Overall, at the end of the course, the participants reported that they saw more possibilities in the remote arts therapy format. Conclusion Rapid and focused support contributed to the arts therapists’ sense of certainty, control, ability and flexibility in their work. Implications for practice Remote arts therapy is here to stay. Other similar courses should be offered for arts therapists working privately and publicly. Focused support during major changes in the therapeutic setting are recommended to prevent the risk of burnout and maintain the efficiency of therapy. Plain-language summary In the State of Israel, at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, more than 3,500 arts therapists employed in the education system were declared vital workers. These therapists have continued their therapeutic work with tens of thousands of children and adolescents across the country through remote arts therapy. The Israel Ministry of Education took a series of steps, one of which was a 30-hour remote arts therapy course that was offered during one of the peak periods of the crisis. The present study examined the ways in which this programme provided online skills and lessened the risk of burnout in arts therapists in the education system. The study involved 15 female arts therapists who participated in a remote arts therapy advanced training in the education system, which took place from October to December 2020. The participants gave the research team access to the assignments they wrote at the beginning and end of the course. The assignments made it possible to examine what the arts therapists learned from the training, the tools they acquired and whether and how they felt they had benefitted from it. Overall, advanced training programme allowed the participants to become familiarised with theory, and explore therapeutic practices and ways of using the arts in the online space. The training format also enabled the participants to share and help each other. Clearly, these courses specifically related to the online format are important and should be recommended in the future both for arts therapists in the education system and for graduate students as part of the curriculum.

Does the Internet Bring People Closer Together or Further Apart? The Impact of Internet Usage on Interpersonal Communications.

The complementarity interference (CI) model suggests that the Internet may either inhibit or facilitate interpersonal communications. This paper empirically examines the impact of Internet usage on interpersonal interactions, using a micro dataset from China to answer whether the Internet brings people closer together or further apart. The empirical results demonstrate, first, that Internet usage significantly increases both the time and frequency of people's communications with their family and friends, rather than causing them to feel more disconnected and isolated. Holding other factors constant, for each one-standard-deviation increase in Internet usage, weekly communications with family members increases by an average of 102.150 min, while there is an average increase of 54.838 min in interactions with friends. These findings as to its positive effects are robust when using other regression models and interpersonal contact measures, as well as the instrumental variable method. Second, Internet usage also contributes to decreased loneliness; it exerts this effect primarily by improving people's interactions with their family members. However, communications with friends do not significantly mediate such impacts. Third, the positive role of Internet usage on communications is more prominent for people with more frequent online socialization and self-presentation, better online skills, younger age, higher educational level, and who are living in urban areas. In addition, the beneficial effects of Internet usage are larger for communications with family members in the case of migrants. Therefore, in the context of the rapid development of information technology, the network infrastructure should be improved to make better use of the Internet to facilitate interpersonal communications and promote people's wellness.

Online-ready? Factor structure and internal consistency of a scale to measure students’ online journalism self-efficacy

With the integration of social media in journalism practice, media training institutions must focus on preparing future media professionals with the right mix of digital skills for the industry. Although efforts to improve students’ online skills readiness are evident in schools, no reliable tool exists to assess students’ confidence in doing online journalism tasks upon graduation. This study develops and validates an Online Journalism Self-Efficacy Scale (OJSES) that can be used to measure mass communication students’ perceptions of their self-efficacy for online journalism work. Items for the proposed scale were developed from a comprehensive literature review and refined by eight online journalism professionals (five online journalism lecturers and three online news editors). To explore the factor structure of the tool, exploratory factor analysis of data from a sample of finalist undergraduate mass communication students (n = 182) in five Rwandan universities was done. Results suggested that the OJSES is a five-dimensional tool that comprises 27 items. This scale measures online journalism self-efficacy in terms of students’ capabilities to conduct online journalism research, communicate with social media tools, create and share multimedia content online, observe ethical online publishing and use social media to solve organizational problems. The scale demonstrated reliability with a Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.785 and the five self-efficacy dimensions explaining 51.1 per cent of the total variance. The scale’s psychometric soundness implied its suitability not only to empirically measure the students’ confidence in working in online environments but also guide capacity-building for the required online skills for the media industry.

The support needs of health professional educators to teach clinical skills online: Experiences of COVID-19 lockdowns from three countries

Introduction: Supporting educators has been identified as vital for the efficacy and sustainability of online teaching. The teaching of clinical skills online presents additional challenges given the vast shift from traditional pedagogies. However, the support needs of health professional educators to teach clinical skills online are unknown. The aim of this study was to explore educator experiences of teaching clinical skills online and investigate their workplace support needs. Methods: A qualitative approach using focus groups was used to investigate educator experiences at three universities in Australia, Chile and South Africa. Data were subject to thematic analysis, and a thematic network tool was used to triangulate international experiences. Results: Seven focus groups were undertaken, with a total of 32 participants. Four global themes were identified following analysis: 1) the educator experience, 2) changes to pedagogy, 3) challenges to teaching online and 4) support for educators. Conclusions: This study has highlighted the professional challenges that teaching clinical skills online creates for health professional educators and the uncertainty regarding expectations and outcomes. Enhancing university support for educators to prepare and provide clinical skills teaching online is suggested to mitigate these challenges. Recommendations are made for universities and educators to consider in the pursuit of effective and sustainable teaching of clinical skills online.